Joe Gee

Diversion by Coercion

Joe Gee

You know that old saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!” Well, I like to say, “When mother nature sends you weevils, make peanut butter sandwiches!” Hear me out!

When we speak of things that are invaluable or worthless we often use peanuts as a comparison. Sometimes we make comments like, “Bob got a truck and paid peanuts for it!” or “My boss pays me peanuts for all the work I do at this crummy job!” So, the existing notion that peanuts are worthless may add to the belief that these legume seeds, that are neither pea or nut, lack significant importance in one's economy. Perhaps, though, our perception of the peanut is completely wrong and all those feckless references are nothing more than misnomers.

During the late 1800’s, the boll weevil slowly made its way north from Mexico to the southern United States where cotton was the predominant crop. By the early 1900’s, this insect that eats the seed capsule of the cotton plant had infested every cotton growing community in the entire state of Alabama. As the Great Depression drew closer and farmers were losing entire cotton crops, one community, Enterprise, saw this infestation as an opportunity to diversify.

Local businessman, H.M. Sessions, wondered why cotton farmers weren't growing other crops that would potentially grow well, if not better, in that area. He introduced the idea of growing peanuts to local farmer, C.W. Baston and together they took on the venture that proved to be successful later that year. That fall, over 8000 bushels of peanuts were harvested and sold to other farmers of Coffee County for $1 per bushel who saved and planted the seeds the following spring. The complete conversion from cotton to peanuts resulted in debt relief, business growth and economic stability for the community. aside from economics, peanuts were also an ideal crop to use in rotation with cotton. While the nitrogen fixing legumes added nutrients back to the soil, they simultaneously broke the life cycle of other pests associated with cotton. Most farmers saw this diversion by coercion as a very valuable lesson in economics, the importance of diversity and healthy agricultural practices.

Realizing the important role the boll weevil played in the transformation of the community, the citizens of Enterprise erected a 13ft. statue of a woman holding a pedestal high above her head with a boll weevil mounted on top. A plaque beside the monument reads, "In profound appreciation of the Boll Weevil and what it has done as the herald of prosperity this monument was erected by the citizens of Enterprise, Coffee County, Alabama."

What happened in Enterprise, Alabama, almost a hundred years ago is only one of many examples of how a community took something disastrous and quickly turned it into something beneficial through diversity. Maybe it’s important for other communities that have experienced similar situations to look back and learn from those who have adjusted in the face of misfortune and privation. Like the citizens of Enterprise, maybe the only thing we need to do is accept nature as it is, learn to adapt and quit trying to butt it head on. If we can do this, perhaps one day we will discover that the one thing we cannot change is actually our “herald of prosperity”.